Vibrating and finishing machine for producing flexible concrete revetments



2,988,971 ODUCING June 20, 1961 F. I. LOUCKES VIBRATING AND FINISHING MACHINE FOR PR FLEXIBLE CONCRETE REVETMENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1956 INVEAIITO)? Fim Nh Laue/r55 June 20, 1961 F. I. LOUCKES ,98

VIBRATING AND FINISHING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE CONCRETE REVETMENTS Filed July 24, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J42 J10 J14 INVENTOR. FkA Nh I. law/r55 June 20, 1961 F. I. LOUCKES 2,988,971

VIBRATING AND FINISHING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE CONCRETE REVETMENTS Filed July 24, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 ww mww W INVENTOR. FRANK I. Laue/r58 WE wl C %\N &w a Q\ QNN United States Patent F 2,988,971 YIBRATING AND FINISHING MACHlNE FOR PRO- -DUCING FLEXIBLE CQNCRETE REVETMENTS Frank I. Louckes, 1597 Carr Ave., Memphis, Tenn.

Filed July 24, 1956, Ser. No. 599,889

1 Claim. (Cl. 9.445) (Granted under Title 35, U. S, Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and .used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

For protecting shore lines and river banks against erosion from the action of stream currents, waves, wind, and other influences tending to erode and consequently to change the contours of both natural and artificially built locales subject to Waterand weather-erosion, it is a common .custom to attempt to counteract the effects of such erosive influences by applying to shore lines, levees, stream embankments and the like, erosion-resisting coverings composed of flexibly interconnected individual blocks of erosion-resistant material such as reinforced concrete, asphalt, or the like, the individual slabs being flexibly interconnected by casting the concrete thereof around reinforcing metal cables supported on a casting floor comprising two-piece molds of requisite size, shape, and number to produce a revetment mat of desired dimensions. In producing such a revetment mat, the mold forms which are arranged on the casting floor comprise separable lower and upper mold sections between which the reinforcing cables are placed prior to the forms being filled with concrete. When theforms have been filled with concrete in which the reinforcing cables are embedded as the molds are filled, the concrete in each mold form is tamped to uniform consistency, leveled oif, and allowed to set or to harden until it becomes self-sustaining. When this condition is reached, the top mold assembly is lifted off, the resulting revetment section is lifted out from the permanently mounted lower mold assembly, and transferred to a storage station until ready to be launched in its place of use.

The present invention rel-ates, in general, to a portable concrete finishing machine including combined vibrating and leveling means for compacting and leveling the concrete being molded; more particularly, the invention relates to new and novel vibrators and finishing leveling screeds attached to a concrete finishing machine for mechanized vibrating and finishing of their concrete members of considerable surface area such as protective revetment mats of the above-indicated character.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanical device for vibrating and finishing concrete, which device can be attached to a standard concrete finishing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will move over a given assembly of molds or forms, which assembly has numerous form members which divide it into separate parts which are located athwart the direction of travel of the machine, and which will satisfactorily vibrate and finish concrete in such forms without permitting the coarse aggregate in such forms to become lodged between the transverse form members and parts of the machine.

Generally speaking, the present invention provides a machine which performs two operations, as will be pointed out in greater detail hereinafter, the invention providing a machine which either can be attached to and towed by a concrete spreading machine or which may be a self-propelled concrete vibrating and finishing machine, either type, however, traveling on rails or tracks so located lthat the machine passes over the molds which contain concrete to be vibrated and finished, the two operations performed on the concrete by the machine being,

2,988,971 Patented June 20, 1961 first, to vibrate the concrete which previously has been spread in the molds, the vibrating being performed by means of a vibrating frame carried on the forward part of the machine, and which is of a suitable size and shape to vibrate all of the concrete on which it is placed but without coming in contact with any mold members; second, to screed and finish the vibrated concrete to a surface flush with the top edges of the molds. In these operations, the machine is capable of moving over molds having numerous members placed both longitudinally and transversely to the direction of travel, :and in practice, the instant machine vibrates and screeds the concrete placed in the molds without aggregates becoming lodged between the molds and the screed finishing plate.

The improved construction of the present invention may be said, therefore, to provide a machine which relates in general to an improved application of the use of vibrators and finishing screeds for mechanized vibrating and finishing of concrete members of considerable surface area, the invention providing a simple mechanical device for vibrating and finishing concrete, the machine being either self-propelled or attached to a standard concrete spreading machine. As has been noted above, the machine of the present invention moves over mold forms having numerous form members which divide the mold form into separate parts and which are located athwait the direction of travel of the machine, and which vibrate and finish concrete in such forms without permitting coarse aggregate to become lodged between the transverse form members and parts of the machine.

The accompanying drawings are illustrative of an embodiment of the present improvements in a concrete finishing machine of the above-indicated type which is moved over a mechanized plant used for casting V=type concrete revetment mats or mattresses.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a concrete finishing machine embodying the improvements of the present inven@ tion, the view showing the machine in operative position on a mold assembly for casting a flexible concrete revetment mat;

, FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of the screeder unit of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the tamper or vibrating unit of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a detailed longitudinal section of the screeder unit taken on line VI.VI of FIG. 4, looking inthe direction of the arrows; 1

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line VII-.VII of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and 7 FIG. 8 is a detailed view of an adjustable screed lifter arm shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, show ing structural details of a rocker shaft structure employed in connection with the present invention.

Before detailed reference to the accompanying drawings is made, it may be noted that, as is customary, the mechanized plant used to cast V-type revetment mats (mattresses) consists of a concrete base casting slab poured and finished ofi smoothly between two parallel track rails on which the concrete machines travel. 'The steel mold forms for molding the flexibly nterconnected slabs of the revetment mat are arranged side by side on the concrete base with their long dimension perpendicular to the track rails and the cross reinforcing grid members parallel to the rails. The mold forms are arranged closely together on the base slab with their sides in contact. The assembled forms thus have form members arranged athwart the direction of the machine travel approximately every four feet throughout the length of the casting slab, each having nineteen rows of cross grid members. Concrete is batched in a standard batching hopper, mixed in a standard mixer, spread by a standard screw-type concrete spreader, and vibrated and finished by vibrating and finishing mechanisms embodying the improved structures of the instant invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the concrete base casting slab is designated at A, which has been poured and finished 01f smoothly between two parallel track rails B, the casting slab A and parallel track rails B being permanent parts of revetment casting equipment. The machine of the present invention travels on the rails B and is either a self-propelled structure or it may be added to a standard concrete spreading machine. The base casting slab A receives mold forms for molding the individual slabs of the revetment mat, such forms comprising complemental upper and lower mold forms C and D which cooperate to mold the individual revetment slabs having cooperating V-shaped contiguous edges such as is shown in FIG. 1.

The concrete finishing machine incorporating the improvements of the present invention comprises a machine frame composed of longitudinal and transverse frame beams which are welded together, the frame being mounted on forward traction wheels and rear trac tion wheels 12, such wheels 10 and 12 moving along parallel track rails B. The machine frame carries a concrete-tamping unit 16, and a concrete-leveling or screeding unit 18, both of which will be referred to in greater detail hereinafter. The concrete tamping unit 16 comprises a series of equally spaced, parallel vibratory pallet members 20 corresponding in number to the number of transverse mold forms of the revetment mat casting assembly and being of a size to fit into the respective mold forms. These pallet members are bolted, or fas- 54 until the concrete becomes homogeneous and uniformly distributed in the respective mold forms. The direction of rotation of drums 40 is controlled by a gearshift lever 60 for operating gears in the gear box 42, the lever 60 being positioned conveniently adjacent to seat 62 for an operator.

The improved machine also embodies the screeding or concrete-leveling unit 18 which is operated from power plant 38 and is vertically movable by actuation of drums 64 upon which lifting cables 66 are wrapped, the drums 64 being operated through reduction gearing in gear-box 68 controlled by lever 70, reciprocatory lateral movement of screeder unit 18 being effected through a pitman rod 74 eccentrically mounted on an operating wheel 76 driven by engine 38 through reduction gears in box 78 controlled by lever 80. The oscillating movement of the screeding unit is transmitted thereto by firmly connecting pitman rod 74 to reciprocatory actuating beam 82 by connector element 84.

This beam 82 is an element of the screeder unit, which unit comprises further a continuous smoothing and leveling plate bottom 86 having planar surfaces, such being reinforced by backing plates 88 that are assembled intermediate side plates 90 and flush therewith. These side plates 90 in turn are reinforced by overlying side plates 92 and by similar front and rear angle beams 94. Tie bolts 96 pass through the plates 92, 90, and bottom flanges 98 of the angle beams 94, these flanges being substantially flush with the bottom plate 86. Additional bolts 100 interlock the plates 92, 90, and bottom leveling plate 86. Spaced parallel reinforcements 102 which extend across the screeder assembly provide additional reinforcel ment therefor, and also serve as means for securing the tened equivalently, as indicated at 22, to bottom flanges of spaced parallel I-beams 24. These beams 24 are operated by provision of corresponding lifting shafts suspended from bracket arms 26 extending from the shafts by flexible cables 28, one end of which is secured to the bracket arms, and the opposite end of the cables 28 attached to loops 30 permanently mounted in the top flange of the I-beams 24, the shafts from which the bracket arms 26 extend being indicated at 32. Operation of the lifting shafts 32 is accomplished by providing an internal combustion engine 38 which drives drums mounted on a gear-reduction box 42, the drums 40 having lifting cables 44 wound thereon, these lifting cables being attached also to actuating arms 46 depending from shafts 32 at approximately right angles to the suspension bracket arms 26.

When the engine 38 is operated to lower the pallets 20 into engagement with the concrete in the individual mold forms corresponding to the pallets, the tamping action on the concrete is obtained by vibratory motion imparted to the pallets 20 by vibrating units 48 spaced along beam 50 which is mounted intermediate the I-beams 24 in spaced parallelism thereto, the vibrating units 48 being operated electrically by current supplied thereto through leads 52 interconnecting the vibrating units to an engine-generator 54 which supplies operating current tothe vibrating units 48. Since the tamping pallets 20 are to be received in corresponding mold forms for vibrating the concrete contained in the mold forms, the pallets 20 are recessed at their ends as is indicated at 56 for reception of scarf-boxes E of the mold forms. Also, terminal pallet members are provided with side recesses 58 for accommodating corresponding scarf-boxes F. Therefore, by operating engine 38 to rotate drums 40 in cable-unwinding directions for unwinding cables 44, the pallets 20 Will rest levelly and evenly on the concrete, and by actuating the vibrating units 48 by current from engine-generator 54, the concrete is vibrated by the units lifting angle bars 82, 104, of which the bar 82 has the reciprocatory pitman 74 connected thereto. Also connected to the bars 82, 104, are adjustable lifting arms 106, structural details of which are shown in FIG. 8.

These lifting arms include a sleeve 108 in which is mounted a bar 110, externally threaded as is indicated at 112, and adjustable in sleeve 108. The outer end of bar 110 terminates in bifurcated yoke 114, the opposite end of sleeve 108 terminating in yoke 116, the opposite sides of yoke 114 being provided with aligned holes 118, and yoke 116 being provided similarly with holes 120', for reception of attachment pivot pins 122, 124, the former passing through registering holes in the upstanding webs of angle bars 82, 104, respectively, thereby connecting the lifting arms to these angle bars. The latter connects the yokes 116 to lifting arms 126 which project from rocker shafts 128, structural details of which are shown in FIG. 9, from which view it will be seen that such shafts 128 comprise an assembly including a rotary sleeve 130 housing stationary mounting bar 132 on which are mounted bearings 134 for the sleeve 130, such bearings having pressure-lubricating fittings 136 for supplying lubricant between the bearings and shaft 132. Each shaft 132 is mounted in a channel member 138 suitably carried by the machine frame. The sleeves 130 also are provided with rocker arms 140 to which actuating cables 66 are attached, and which are substantially at right angles to the screed-lifting rocker arms 126 which have been referred to above. It may be noted at this point that each lifter arm or link 110 for the screed unit has been adjusted properly with respect to sleeves 108, and the adjustment may be maintained by utilizing a lock nut 142 mounted on and moving along threads 112 of the lifting links 110.

Reviewing and summarizing the foregoing description, the tamping and vibrating unit 16 is the forward unit of the machine, two parallel spaced channel beams 144 being adjacent to each side of the machine frame and secured thereto, such beams being cantilevered forwardly to carry this vibrating unit 16. The vibrating unit or frame is a rigid structure comprising two parallel, spaced I-beams 24, to the underside of which the oak planks or pallets 20 have been, bolted. In practice, these pallets 20 measure. ap-

proximately 2" X 12" (thickness by width) and are slightly less in surface dimensions than the surface of the individual concrete blocks or slabs which make up a square of aV-type articulated concrete mat, and are so spaced that the openings between consecutive planks or pallets will correspond with the position of the cross grid members of the concrete mold. The medial timber beam 50 extends the full length of the vibrating frame and is firmly secured to the planks or pallets 20 on which it rests. The vibrators 48 are securely bolted to this medial timber 50.

As will be seen from the drawings, particularly FIG. 2, the vibrator frame lift shafts 32 are carried in shaft bearings 146 and are of such length and are so placed that they provide four points of suspension for the vibrator frame 16. Three crank arms are attached rigidly to each of the shafts 32, the two forward crank arms 26 being joined to the vibrating units 16 by vibrating suspensions 28. The rear crank arms 46 are joined to the power-operating mechanism by steel cable 44.

The screed or finishing unit 18 comprises the screed finishing plate 86 which is attached by bolts to the bottom face of side bars 90. In practice, this screed finishing plate is approximately 2' 4" wide and is half-soled along its front and rear faces by angle elements 94 which may be of smooth steel or rubber chute lining. The oscillating screed lift shafts 130 are, in practice, approximately 1%" diameter standard iron pipe with lever arms 126 welded thereto. The lift shafts 130 are supported by and rotate on stationary shafts 132 which are supported at their ends by channels 138 which are welded to each end of the machine frame. The two front lever arms 126 support the screed finishing frame through reach rods 106, and a third lever arm 140 relays power through cables 66.

By adjusting the length of the screed reach rods 108, the front edge of the screed finishing plate 86 can be raised slightly, for example about /2 inch, above the plane of the rear edge while the latter is allowed to rest on the mold forms as shown in FIG. 2. This adjustment will cause the screed to force down and pass over large aggregates which might otherwise become lodged between cross mold members and the leading edge of the screed finishing plate 86.

Each operation of the machine, that is, tracking forward and in reverse on wheels 10, 12, raising and lowering of the vibrating frame and screed finishing frame, opera tion of the vibrators 48 and oscillation of the screed finishing frame through reciprocating pitman 74, is controlled by the operator in seat 62.

In practice, the operator moves the machine into such a position that the vibrator frame 16 hangs vertically over the mold forms which previously have been filled with concrete, lowers the vibrator frame by operating power source 38 until the pallets 20 enter the mold forms in engagement with the concrete therein, and actuates the vibratory tampers 48 through operation of the generator 54, thereby vibratingly tamping the concrete in the molds, which tamping is continued for a few seconds. The operator then actuates power source '38 to raise the vibrator frame, and tracks the machine on wheels and 12 for placing the vibrator frame 16 over succeeding mold forms for continuation of the tamping action on the concrete therein. As soon as the machine has moved forward enough for the screed finishing frame 18 to be over mold forms containing previously vibrated concrete, the said screed frame 18 is lowered and set to oscillating and finishing the concrete surface.

By drivingly connecting selected traction wheels, such as wheels 10 to source of power 38, as by sprocket drive chain 145 passing around a driving sprocket 147 operably connected by suitable shaft and clutch means (not shown) to the source of power 38, the machine may be made self-propelled along the track rails B. The sprocket 7 drive chain may be protected by a guard bracket 148.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings are directed to illustrative embodiments of the improvements provided by the present invention, it being understood that structural details may be modified in accordance with the dictates of specific service conditions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it being understood that many structural details may be modified in accordance with the requirements of particular service conditions; and accordingly it will be understood that it is intended and desired to embrace within the scope of this invention such modifications and changes as may be necessary or desired to adapt the invention to varying conditions and uses as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a concrete finishing machine for finishing molded slabs of a flexible concrete revetment mat prior to hardening of the slabs in individual molds having a machine frame, traction wheels carrying the machine frame and moving along parallel track rails disposed laterally with respect to a mold form assembly composed of shallow individual rnold forms, a forward slab-vibrating unit including vibratory pallet members adapted to fit internally into the individual mold forms for vibrating individual shallow concrete slabs until all aggregates are completely submerged in the slabs, a leveling screed frame carried by the machine frame rearwardly of the slab-vibrating unit, a screed leveling plate carried by the screed frame for leveling the vibrated concrete slabs in the individual mold forms to a surface flush with the tops of the mold forms constituting the assembly, the im provements which comprise suspension means adapted to raise or lower the leveling screed relative to the concrete in the mold forms, the suspension means including parallel laterally extending mounting channels secured to the machine frame in spaced relationship lengthways thereof, a pair of spaced mounting bars fixedly secured at their opposite ends between the channel members and disposed transversely of the mounting channels, a sleeve on each mounting bar rotatable with respect thereto, opposed pairs of spaced parallel lever arms extending substantially horizontally from each sleeve member, vertically disposed individually adjustable suspension members secured to the lever arms and to the screed, means for adjusting the suspension members in lengthways direction for enabling a rearward tilting of the screed frame and screed leveling plate for producing an elevated for Ward clearance between forward portions of the screed plate and the individual molds of the mold assembly, a third lever arm depending from each sleeve member, a source of power mounted on the machine frame, actuating cables connecting the third lever arms to the source of power for simultaneously actuating said suspension means, and means actuated by the source of power for oscillating the screed laterally relative to the machine frame and the mold form assembly.

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